Disaster Drill

The Illinois National Guard and local police, fire and transit departments are organizing a five-day series of drills set to test the Chicago area's emergency procedures in response to numerous simultaneous disasters, officials said in a statement today.

The drills started today and are to last until Thursday.

"It is a full-scale exercise, so residents can expect to see emergency responders looking and acting as if this was a real homeland security/domestic response mission," the National Guard said in a statement.

Several simulated terrorist attacks in the Bensenville area on Wednesday.

Well, at least Shortshanks is getting some use out of all those houses he bought in Bensenville. But in reality, we haven't seen Word One on any of this for district first responders. Not a thing. It makes us wonder what they expect us to do in the event of a real emergency - run away? Die heroically? It sure would be nice to have some direction from on high.

Similar topic; picked up one of those little All Hazards Alert radios at Aldi in Hammond. This little guy isn't half bad. It sets off an audible alert in the event of a weather event, terrorist attack, etc (day before yesterday when we had the thunderstorms, the alert went off)- a good thing if Tornadoes start forming at 3:00 AM... Also has a button you can push to get instant 24 hour NOAA Radio. Unlike the old 'weather alert radios' from years ago where you would be getting goddamn alerts only pertaining to Springfield, these new ones can be programmed with special codes so you only get alerts from Chicago (make sure to buy one with "SAME codes" - most all new ones have them, but a few don't)

This one lives in my car and goes with me where TV and internet can't. Grab one of these for your family- check your preferred online site for reviews of different models.

"But in reality, we haven't seen Word One on any of this for district first responders. Not a thing. It makes us wonder what they expect us to do in the event of a real emergency - run away? Die heroically? It sure would be nice to have some direction from on high."

What do you expect? First, theres not enough to give up from Patrol.WHEN the SHTF, Patrol will be sitting in thier beat cars, in a shity dist. answering "baby momma drama" calls. Second, look around at the dist commanders. do you seriously want Henny-Penny in charge of anything? Mealer? Greene? Not that some of the bosses in the Units are any better... Third, Patrol is viewed upon as the red-headded step child of the Dept. If you were anybody, you wouldent be in a beat car.

Face it, just another "Red Flag" showing us how fucked up this dept is...

I'm sure any direction we need will flow from our watch commanders. If you don't already have in your work bag a battery powered AM/FM radio, get one and extra batteries. Make sure you have an emergency preparation kit for your family. Have a plan and discuss it with your family because we are not going to be home.

I'm sure any direction we need will flow from our watch commanders. If you don't already have in your work bag a battery powered AM/FM radio, get one and extra batteries. Make sure you have an emergency preparation kit for your family. Have a plan and discuss it with your family because we are not going to be home.

Just finished reading "Report from Ground Zero" by Dennis Smith. Graphic first person accounts by individual first responders, their spouses, and civilians who were in the World Trade Center towers during the attack and collapse on September 11, 2001. The Disaster plan that was enacted after the 1993 bombings saved literally THOUSANDS of lives. We all know how totally unprepared Chicago is for ANY type of disaster. Remember, when under stress, you revert to your training. No training equals panic.

We are so screwed. I think I read on here about the Black Hawks/Stanley Cup parade, whereby a boss yells at a lone patrolman "get that crowd back!"

The patrolman looks at the 15,000 wild fans directly in front of him, rolls his eyes, and replies "Okay boss, whatever you say" and then proceeds to do absolutely nothing but just shake his head at the asshole boss.

What else could he do?

Not a criticism of the patrolman, but of the "out-of-touch" boss.

I don't know if this is true or not, but my guess is..IT IS!

You can't MAKE this shit up!

Now imagine a disaster..not a celebration. I'll say again..WE ARE SO SCREWED!

Back in the early nineties, was working 4 to 12 when the call came over the zone for our car to participate in a mock disaster drill at O'hare. Great timing, I was in the locker room, um, taking a prolonged and badly needed dump. Found my partner, drove to O'hare, parked the beat car. Stood around. Lots o supervisors and organizers standing in little nervous groups. Occasionally they would point to us and say, "move here." And, "move there." Finally we were loaded into the wagons on scene and driven to an area with lots of other emergency personnel standing in groups, with more useless supervisors telling everyone to move here and there. When coppers get together, someone always knows someone else, and after the numerous introductions we had a grand time talking copper gossip as only coppers can, all the while moving here and there. It was kind of pretty outside; sunset at the airport, tons of emergency equipment with all the lights on...not a bad way to spend half the tour. We eventually were loaded back into the wagons, driven to our beat cars, and sent back to the district. We could have used a few beers, but other than that, it was a really nice summer evening. And we were no better prepared for a disaster after the drill than before. End of story.

"Several simulated terrorist attacks in the Bensenville area on Wednesday"

Simulated? Terrorism? Mayor Daley already destroyed half the town. Now here he is with his spade. Sure, and it's a dirty business in the dark of the moon, it is -- tearing up a century-old cemetery, cackling as the bones fly...

I wonder if he will keep a trophy -- a skull in that deep drawer in his desk to peer at now and then, as his eyes glaze and the mad urge takes him over...

Just finished reading "Report from Ground Zero" by Dennis Smith. Graphic first person accounts by individual first responders, their spouses, and civilians who were in the World Trade Center towers during the attack and collapse on September 11, 2001. The Disaster plan that was enacted after the 1993 bombings saved literally THOUSANDS of lives. We all know how totally unprepared Chicago is for ANY type of disaster. Remember, when under stress, you revert to your training. No training equals panic.

6/14/2010 07:08:00 AM

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As prepared as New York, NYPD, FDNY & PAPD & others were, they never had a contingency plan for the locaion of their Command Center in the event of another attack against New York after 1993. On 9/11 the Command Center was still located in World Trade Center #1. This location (WTC 1) also housed the many communication systems & antennas for most communications (cellular, police & fire radios).

Upon 9/11 occuring and tens of thousands of police and fire responding to the scene and initial meet location at Church & Vesey, leaders realized that this location would not work. These responding officers had to direct themselves by their own training, experience & leadership abilities.

NYPD & FDNY communications and most cellular transmissions were non working during a long period after 9/11 which added to the many problems being faced by first responders.

The Command Center was initially changed from the WTC to to One Police Plaza. NYPD then realized that + 40,000 officers etc could not get to that location and it was not equipped to handle this large of an incident.

Eventually NYPD changed the Command Center location to Pier 94 & 95 where it remained through the response and afterward. This location was excellent. It was easily secured, located along the Hudson, and easily handled the thousands of personnel, grieving family members and various support agencies.

If interested further read the McKinsey Report which is viewable on line to learn of the various problems they encountered. It is an easy read digging into the many wrongs.

The leaders of the CPD should be reading this and should have during the past 9 years. I read it and I was there. It was not a pretty site.

I'm sure any direction we need will flow from our watch commanders. If you don't already have in your work bag a battery powered AM/FM radio, get one and extra batteries. Make sure you have an emergency preparation kit for your family. Have a plan and discuss it with your family because we are not going to be home.

Wanna bet X's two? Just like what happend to all those po's homes in Katrina. Depending on the disaster I will be out front of my "crib" with an Ar-15. Go ahead fire me, I will protect my family.

The prima donnas in SWAT & MSF get all the training and get to walk around in cool green or black BDUs and look down their noses at us.

6/14/2010 02:53:00 PM

Well, then, Mr. "Inferiority Complex", I suggest you reach between your legs, grab those raisins, and tell the bdu police to go fuck themselves if they "look down their noses" at you.

***OR***

You can do a few push ups, sit ups and possibly run just a tad, and try out for SWAT, or drop a resume to MSF, if you’re THAT jealous of the training they receive. But you’ll NEVER do that! All too easy to sit and bitch instead of actually DOING something about your situation… Until then, keep whining, someone will eventually care about you. I think you can get pink bdu's somewhere.

Anyone remember when they issued each of us a little white pill box filled with Good-N-Plenty's? Some BS practice of issuance of meds for POs and family. Sure, we get zotzed with some chemical shit that's gonna burn our eyes outta our heads and HQ has a stash of the magic pills that will protect us? If so, someone better do a quick inventory, it's probably packed with Mike-n-Ike.

The power was cut to get an individual off the tracks. Now, who is the dumbass?

Speaking off dumbasses: a good percentage of people that throw themselves on the tracks to commit suicide, live. They just wish they were dead. 10 stories up is the way to go. Anybody know anybody that lived after a ten story fall?

One of the drills was supposed to be a CTA bombing/derailment w/chemical weapons discharge, I think along the Brown line. Now, this thing has been in the planning for over a year, but someone must not have run it past the stuttering prick, because he apparently found out about it when the press releases came out and he went ape shit. Flat out REFUSED to allow the National Guard to come into his city in uniform, or with weapons. The Guard CBRN units (that handle chemical biological & nuclear incidents) were told if they wanted to go observe the exercise, they had to do so in civlian attire.

SO there ya go: your safety jepordized because Daley doesn't want soldiers in the City. Never mind that the drills were designed to prepare us for the worst and save lives. Someone might have seen a soldier and thought they were called to quell the 4 most violent districts in AMerica or something. And we can't have that!